


The Ides of Lothal

by lordhadrian



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Doomed Relationship, F/M, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Star Wars References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-03 00:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4079518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordhadrian/pseuds/lordhadrian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maketh Tua has a dream that compels her to a decision that will change her life.  The story is set before Season 2</p><p>There is a hint of Tua/Kallus pairing</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ides of Lothal

The Ides of Lothal

by

Lordhadrian

Lady Maketh Tua awoke with a start, and felt a horror that compelled her away from sleep. The nightmare of heavy breathing. She felt it ever since HE came to the planet. The artificial breathing. It was a horror to hear, and it never stopped, even when Vader spoke.

His presence had been an omen of bad tidings. Whatever misgivings she had with the Imperial presence on Lothal, and whatever distress had come upon her with Tarkin's presence, it paled to when the tall man in black was in her sight.

A pall had been cast over her world, and there were times she bitterly blamed the small band of troublemakers who had plagued the efforts of agent Kallus.

But in her bitterness, she felt a danger being around the man in black, the one called Lord Vader. The only person who seemed to have no fear of the horrible breathing was Tarkin, and he was himself an appalling presence of calm dread.

Maketh Tua watched the sun come up on a new day, and in this new day, she felt a new purpose.

To escape the nightmare. Kallus had told her of the Rebel victory over Tarkin's Imperial fleet near Mustafar. If this rebellion was as organized as he had described, maybe there was a chance to escape.

She felt deep regret at the thought. What would happen to her people? To the prestige she tried so hard to build on Lothal to impress Kallus and Tarkin? It would all fall down, shatter away. Her defection would have dire consequences.

But she was terrified, and the dream she beheld in slumber gave way to a new terror. Tarkin punished failure with death, and her own shortcomings would be tallied by the Man in Black with a horrifying conclusion.

She had to escape. The Rebels were now her only chance to survive the grasp of the Nightmare man who breathed a living horror where ever he went.

She had dreamed of her death at his hand.

Maketh refreshed herself and dressed smartly for the day. From her luxurious apartment, she made sure to cancel all appointments, reschedule meetings, and postpone any legislative duties. She made contacting the Rebels her top priority in that moment, using personal communications to seek out favors, contacts, leads, anything that would connect her to the one known as Fulcrum.

In Fulcrum, she held a final hope. Vader's rage would reach the point of no return for Lothal and its people. She almost cried in terror, cried for being a coward. But the terror was more than she could face, the dreaded inevitable rage that would consume her if she stayed on Lothal.

She walked to her office, remaining calm and always listening for the horror, the breathing. The breathing was death to those who could not be what HE wanted them to be.

To her relief as she boarded the elevator, she saw Kallus. He was casual, almost smiling when she entered the elevator.

"Going my way?" He made the small jest.

Her smile to him was half fake, but half genuine. He was a healthy man, and not unpleasant to look at. His smile eased her apprehensions, and she had some small talk with him. She would have almost invited him to join her in the defection, but she knew it would never work.

"Are you okay?" He inquired, noticing her subconscious distress surfacing in her worried look.

"I had a bad dream last night. Nothing a good morning caf drink can't dismiss."

"Caf in the morning keeps me alive" He smiled in jest again. If only he knew how distressed she was. She felt the danger that he was able to side step.

The elevator ride came to a halt. She was about to exit when she turned to Kallus and his bold, smiling face. She kissed him on the cheek, taking him completely by surprise.

Kallus was fond of Maketh Tua. She was quite attractive and they had a number of shared interests for Lothal and in their own personal pursuits. Kalus was too busy with Imperial duties for romantic interludes, but he had felt something of a kinship with her, especially after witnessing the deaths of two Imperial officers at the hands of the now dead Inquisitor.

He had hoped the danger would pass, and especially hoped that Maketh would not ever be judged unworthy by Tarkin or Vader.

But then things became quite complicated with a kiss.

"What was that for?" He looked at her, trying to stay professional, yet wanting this moment to become a true connection.

"My dream...I fear it is something more. I cannot explain, maybe it is nothing. Call it an intuition. Agent Kallus...."

She hesitated, but resolved to look him in the eyes.

"....Whatever happens in the coming days, as silly as this sounds, I want to, uh...thank you for all you have done for me. And the people of Lothal. I hold you in high regard and....well...I..."

She backed away a couple steps. The elevator doors closed between them before she could finish her thoughts. She sighed and wondered if she had tipped her hand.

She went to her office and sat down, staring at the bright morning sun.

She noticed a single message waiting for her. From Fulcrum. She took a deep breath and felt her path reach a fork in the road. The road less traveled was scary but inviting, but it fared a better hope than what lay ahead if she stayed on the beaten path.

She pressed the button to answer the message. And her life reached a point of no return.


End file.
